Re: transportation event

[John Jacobus <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>]

Usually the pigs fit snuggly in the box.  They fit

into form holders, and I have never had a problem with

them shifting inside of the box or package.



I think the problem is that the package fell out of

the vehicle, i.e., the door of the van opened and the

package slid out. Obviously, if the package was

secured inside of the van, this would not have

happened.



It is unclear to me how the F-18 syringe came out of

its pig.  They are are shipped like the Tc-99m

syringes.   



--- William V Lipton <liptonw@dteenergy.com> wrote:

> Thanx for the reference.  In this case, the issue

> isn't the total activity, its the additional,

> unbalanced weight in the package.

> If the lead pig is not properly secured against

> movement within the package, it can make the package

> fail, even if the package

> passed the drop test without it.  If the lead pig

> was secured in the test package, then the hold down

> mechanism would be part of

> the package certification.

> 

> The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

> It's not about dose, it's about trust.

> Curies forever.

> 

> Bill Lipton

> liptonw@dteenergy.com

> 

> John Jacobus wrote:

> 

> > If you want to see a typical Type A package in

> which

> > nuclear medicine material is shipped, see Figure

> 11E

> > on page 34 of the pdr document located at

> > http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubtrain/ramreview.pdf

> > On the previous page it says the contents can be

> up to

> > 270 mCi.  They are easy to open by just pulling on

> the

> > handle.

> >

> > Typical nuclear medicine syringe shields look like

> > these

> >

>

http://www.harpellassociates.com/b/b-syringe-pigs.asp

> > At least they screw together.

> >

> > --- William V Lipton <liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM>

> wrote:

> > > You bring up an interesting question.  The

> specified

> > > drop test height for a

> > > Type A package weighing less than 11,000 pounds

> is 4

> > > feet (49 CFR 173.465), so

> > > the package should have easily survived the

> drop.

> > > It's not completely clear

> > > from the incident description, but it seems that

> the

> > > package failed BEFORE the

> > > syringe was run over. ( The incident describes

> the

> > > syringe being run over, not

> > > the package.  Also, if the intact package had

> been

> > > run over, it's unlikely the

> > > syringe would have been lost.)

> > >

> > > The incident description also describes the

> Tc-99m

> > > syringe as being in a lead

> > > pig.  The question:  Is an ammo box qualified as

> a

> > > Type A package when it

> > > contains a lead pig?  i.e. were the tests

> performed

> > > with a comparable pig in

> > > the box?  I would guess not.  My experience is

> that

> > > there seems to be a

> > > widespread misuse of  "Type A" packaging, based

> on

> > > the misconception that, if

> > > the packaging is qualified as Type A, you can

> use it

> > > for anything.

> > >

> > > I'm sure there are some Radsafers who use this

> > > packaging.  Please look at your

> > > test results.  What did the packaging contain

> when

> > > the package (package =

> > > packaging + contents) was tested?  My guess: 

> sand.

> > >

> > . . .

> >

> > =====

> > +++++++++++++++++++

> > "Eternal vigilance by the people is the price of

> liberty and . . . you must pay the price if you wish

> to secure the blessing."

> > Andrew Jackson

> >

> > -- John

> > John Jacobus, MS

> > Certified Health Physicist

> > e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com

> >

> > __________________________________

> > Do you Yahoo!?

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> 

> 





=====

+++++++++++++++++++

"Eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty and . . . you must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing."

Andrew Jackson



-- John

John Jacobus, MS

Certified Health Physicist

e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com



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